Red-Tail Boa Frequently Asked Questions
My Boa hides all the time! Why does he/she do this?
Why won't my Boa won't eat while I'm looking?
Does my Boa ever drink his/her water? It seems like the water never gets much
lower.
My Boa is changing colors. Is this normal?
My Boa looks like he/she is yawning. What is this?
My Red-Tail Boa is getting aggressive or striking at me! What can I do to calm him/her down?
What are the white things in a snake's feces?
Can I walk around in public with my Boa?
My Boa hides all the time! Why does he/she do this?
Boas need to feel secure at all times. Juveniles or neonates (babies) will
constantly hide just because of instinct (hiding from predators in the wild). If
a Boa is comfortable enough to sit in the open, he/she will do it. It's more
common in adult Boas to sit out or not use hides, but more often than not, they
will hide somewhere.
Why won't my Boa won't eat while I'm looking?
Boas don't have a form of defense if their mouth is full of food. They will only
eat if they feel safe. If your Boa won't eat in front of you, leave the room or
feed them in an enclosed box. Try not to distract a young Boa while it is
feeding, as they are usually more prone to become scared or nervous during the
feeding process with anything moving that could be considered a threat.
Does my Boa ever drink his/her water? It seems like the water never gets much
lower.
Boas are naturally nocturnal. They will usually only drink at night or when they
feel out of danger. It's same principle as only eating when they feel safe, but
they do drink...
Boa Drinking
My Boa is changing colors. Is this normal?
Yes. A Boa's spectrum of colors is very impressive! There's really no confirmed
reason as to why they do it, but the most logical explanation is controlling
their temperature by going dark to absorb heat, and turning lighter to deflect
it.
My Boa looks like he/she is yawning. What is this?
Yawning
Your Boa is either trying to realign their jaw after eating, or they are trying
to pop the dead skin loose from their head so they can start shedding.
Occasionally they will do this if they have some kind of mouth or lung
infection. It's usually normal and nothing to worry about. If your Boa has an
infection of some type, you should see other symptoms other than just yawning.
My Red-Tail Boa is getting aggressive or striking at me! What can I do to calm him/her down?
Make sure you are handling your Boa at least once per week, and keeping the same scent every time you handle him/her. Once they associate your scent and their environment with a feeling of safety they really shouldn't have a reason to be aggressive. If you have the scent of a rat on you, they might mistake you for food.
If you have an aggressive Boa and it strikes at you, don't leave it alone. Take it out and handle it no matter how much it wants to bite you. Give it a sense of security and it will calm down. If you try to take it out and it bites or strikes at you, and you leave it alone, they will still percieve you as a predator and will continue to strike. You need to assure that they have your trust and that they understand that you're not there to hurt them. If they strike at you, take them out of the tank. Eventually after doing this, your Red-Tail Boa will become more friendly and stable with you.
The main thing in this process of calming is remaining patient. Don't get upset! It will eventually calm down.
What are the white things in a snake's feces?
A lot of times, instead of producing urine, they will produce urates. These are
solid, white deposits of waste that often take the place of urine.
Can I walk around in public with my Boa?
You may see people walking around in public view with their Boa or other snake
wrapped around their arm or neck. You should NEVER do this with your Boa. It
causes a sensory panic attack and they quickly become frightened and/or
aggressive in unfamiliar territory. Boas are only a sociable animal if they are
comfortable and trusting of you at all times!
